House Bill 562, appropriating funds for Program Year 5 of the Clean Ohio Conservation Program has passed the Legislature and was signed by Governor Strickland. The appropriation consists of the revolving capacity that was available from prior debt being serviced and totals $30 million.

By law, when approved by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor, capital appropriations must hold over for 90 days before becoming effective.

As in the past, Natural Resource Assistance Councils will be required to allow a minimum of sixty days from the Commission's approval of their respective project selection methodology to accept applications. If methodologies remain un-changed please notify the Commission accordingly.

Natural Resource Assistance Councils may then forward selected projects to the Commission for final approval. The Ohio Public Works Commission will accept applications as early as October 2008 but no later than March 2009.